EXPLORATION OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT PARTS OF Pinus caribaea Morelet (CARRIBEAN PINE) GROWN AS ORNAMENTALS IN ZARIA AREA, KADUNA STATE NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1007-4914Keywords:
Pinus, ornamental, rhizosphere, isolation, identification, fungal diversityAbstract
Pinus is a tree planted as an ornamental plant in Zaria Area. The aim of the research was to identify fungi from Pinus plant tissues grown as ornamental and rhizosphere in Zaria Area. Sampling was carried out at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Area H Quarters, Botanical garden and Savanna Forestry Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Needles, stems, roots and rhizosphere soil were collected and analyzed respectively using standard mycological techniques. Ten genera of fungi were isolated with different percentage occurrences, Rhizoctonia sp had the highest percentage occurrence of 27.66% followed by Fusarium sp. 25.33%, Aspergillus sp. 23.40%, Penicillium sp. 10.64% while Rhizopus sp., Pestalotia sp., Dothistroma sp., Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium solani species complex, and Microsphaeropsis ovaliceae had the lowest percentage occurrence of 2.13% each. There was a diversity of fungi genera isolated from different parts of the plant Rhizoctonia sp. and Fusarium sp were isolated from all parts of the plant (needles, stem, root and rhizosphere soil), Dothistroma sp., Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium solani species complex, Microsphaeropsis ovaliceae were isolated from needles only, Aspergillus sp. was isolated from needles, stem and rhizosphere soil, Penicillium sp. was present in root and rhizosphere soil only, Pestalotia sp. and Rhizopus sp. were present in rhizosphere soil only.
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